Really bad news for MicrosoftSales of its brand new operating system, Windows 8, are "well below projections," inside the company says Paul Thurott at Windows SuperSite. Thurott is probably the most plugged-in Microsoft reporter. When he says something, you can trust it. He says sales are being described internally as "disappointing."Microsoft is blaming its PC partners for the slow start, says Thurott. His source blamed PC makers "inability to deliver".

Note this isn't a report about actual sales. It's a report on a rumor, published by someone who often gets upset with MS when they don't allow him more insider access. He then runs with a 'I have a source' type story, and then it gets published as news because he did used to get some useful information.

I am not surprised in the least. Windows 8 is a desktop disaster and too confusing for the average Joe and home user. The UI sucks. People do not like it and the sales show that. I have 3 customers who all bought new PCs this past week and 2 of then returned them because they simply can't understand the new Windows. The other one is having headaches.

What they should have done is make Windows 7 better and call it Windows 8, without changing its already usable and easy UI.

Note this isn't a report about actual sales. It's a report on a rumor, published by someone who often gets upset with MS when they don't allow him more insider access. He then runs with a 'I have a source' type story, and then it gets published as news because he did used to get some useful information.

Pretty much this. The amount of times he was wrong with Windows 7 and WP7 was pretty laughable, but still people take him seriously.

windows 8 on a laptop or PC is a disaster. lot of w8 tablets out there and some look impressive but surface is no where near.

with general negativity towards w8 I completely agree with it. when w7 got released there was a huge positive sign. everyone praised w7. not so much with w8.
tons and tons of thread saying w8 is not good.

everyone praised w7. not so much with w8.tons and tons of thread saying w8 is not good.

Everyone praised Windows 7? There were hundreds of threads about people claiming how XP is so much better. Hell even today there are people who still think XP is better.

This isn't anything new, everytime a new version of Windows comes out there's always a ton of people who claim the previous one is better and then those very same people will later claim the OS they originally hated was the best thing since sliced bread. Tons and tons of people hated XP when it released, called it childish, buggy etc and now suddenly XP is the best.

Over 4 million people did buy 8 on it's release weekend, and that's the highest it's ever been for an OS release. Yes you can claim well it was $15, but:

1. That thing was fixed so not everyone could do it.2. The upgrade from Vista to 7 was free, the one from 7 to 8 was $153. Windows 7 had that house party thing which meant anyone could get a copy of Ultimate for free just for signing up on a website and doing nothing else.

Not everyone was born in this generation dude. You can't expect a 70 year old lady or man to understand something as technologically challenging as Windows 8.

there's hardly any difference besides the start button being hidden and the start menu being full screen. launching a program hasn't changed

move mouse to bottom left corner and click, click on program you want to open (how is that any more technologically challenging then 7 and back?)

edit: plus who in that age doesn't have a grandchild that can help them out when they have a question, and how often is someone that old going to be getting a new computer anyway (or a computer at all for that matter)?

Most everyone I know hates Windows 8 and avoids it like the plague. I've even see several Best Buy employees actively advising customers not to buy it for various reasons.

Best buy is also the company that told my wife her laptop was completely dead and there was nothing they could do to fix it (this is after charging her to take a look at it), when the only problem with it was the monitor cable had come loose.

Most everyone I know hates Windows 8 and avoids it like the plague. I've even see several Best Buy employees actively advising customers not to buy it for various reasons.

And honestly, I like Windows 8 much better since I installed Start8.

I did the same Windows 8 and Start8, and eventually went back to Windows 7, but after going back I realize there was a lot of things about W8 that I liked. So I'm going back to W8, but without Start8, and am going to make myself use it for a week and see what happens. I'll either reinstall Start8 or Windows 7 again, so wish me luck or not, guess you guys really don't care how I use my computer.

I did the same Windows 8 and Start8, and eventually went back to Windows 7, but after going back I realize there was a lot of things about W8 that I liked. So I'm going back to W8, but without Start8, and am going to make myself use it for a week and see what happens. I'll either reinstall Start8 or Windows 7 again, so wish me luck or not, guess you guys really don't care how I use my computer.

I do wish you luck. I too like Windows 8. I'm just so use to a start menu that I can't seem to get along well with it. Plus, I hate metro apps. One day I think they may be good and useful, but that is not today.